COPA Releases 911 Audio, Other Material From Shooting In Which Chicago Police Officer Was Killed; His Wife, Also A CPD Officer, Is Now Charged
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Civilian Office of Police Accountability on Friday released 911 audio and other materials from an incident in the fall in which a Chicago Police officer was killed and his wife – also a Chicago Police officer – now stands charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Officer Jacqueline Villaseñor, 39, was charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of her husband, 44-year-old German Villaseñor on Nov. 2.
The shooting happened in the 8500 block of West Winona Street, near Foster and Cumberland avenues in the neighborhood just east of O'Hare International Airport.
At Jacqueline Villaseñor's bond hearing days after the incident, Cook County prosecutors said she and her husband were in their bedroom, arguing over a recent affair, when she grabbed her weapon from her holster and threatened to kill herself.
German Villaseñor tried to grab the weapon, and the couple began struggling, when the gun went off, and German was shot in the chest, according to prosecutors.
Their 16-year-old son was in the kitchen at the time, and could hear his parents arguing, when he heard the gunshot and went to investigate, finding his father lying on the ground bleeding, and his mother performing CPR, prosecutors said.
Jacqueline Villaseñor told her son to get her medical bag from her car and call 911.
Material released by COPA Friday included a 911 call from 7:14 p.m. Nov. 2, in which the couple's son is heard telling a Fire Department dispatcher that he needs an ambulance and his dad has been shot. He says he is not sure if his father is responsive, and says his mother is upstairs with his father.
In a second call, the son says he does not know who shot his father.
Another off-duty officer who was the first to arrive on scene asked Jacqueline Villaseñor if she was okay, and she said "yes, but no," according to prosecutors.
She told that officer she and her husband had been arguing over an affair when she threatened to kill herself, and they began struggling over her gun. That officer said it appeared Jacqueline Villaseñor had been drinking alcohol, but she declined a breathalyzer test.
German Villaseñor was brought to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge in very critical condition, and was later pronounced dead, according to police and prosecutors.
Police found three guns in their home -- two service weapons and one personal weapon.
Prosecutors said both of Jacqueline's hands tested positive for gunshot residue, while German's right hand also tested positive for gunshot residue. It appeared Jacqueline Villaseñor had been drinking alcohol, but she declined to be tested.
Later in November, German Villaseñor's family questioned the account told in court.
"She needs to be held accountable and she need to be locked up, plain and simple," said German's uncle, Genaro Martinez.
Genaro Martinez, was stunned by the charge of involuntary manslaughter — and the fact that she paid $5,000 to bond out without electronic monitoring.
"We're asking that she should have an ankle monitor on her," Martinez said. "If they know alcohol was involved there should be an ankle monitor on her. Again, investigating to the fullest extent of the law."
Jacqueline's bail has been set at $50,000. She also has been ordered to surrender all weapons to Chicago Police within 24 hours, and if she posts bail, she may not use alcohol, or any other intoxicants or illegal drugs.
